Conventional network attached storage (NAS) devices often provide rudimentary indicators (such as LED lights) that provide some indication of, for example, power, drive activity, network connectivity, and the like. However, such known NAS devices do not provide useful information regarding what the user really cares about; namely, the current level of protection or redundancy of the user's data based on the state of the NAS device and its connectivity. With the ever-increasing capacity and complexity of NAS devices and of other backup options, it is likely to become increasingly difficult for (especially non-technically-inclined) users to be able to discern the true operational status of their NAS device and of the data stored therein. Indeed, most users will likely wait until the NAS device fails before realizing that their data is in jeopardy or has been compromised. What are needed, therefore, are NAS devices, NAS-containing systems and methods that do not suffer from the above-detailed disadvantages.